NEMO will contribute with expertise on the SDGs in a structured dialogue with the European Commission

 Diagram illustrating 17 sustainable development goals. Each keyword is represented by a simple illustration in a colourful square.

NEMO and 44 other cultural organisations have been selected to discuss the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the Europa Commission in a structured dialogue, organised by Voices of Culture.

Sustainability is one of NEMO’s key advocacy areas and we look forward to contributing with a museum perspective on the Sustainable Development Goals and their challenges and opportunities in the third meeting organised by Voices of Culture, which offers a platform for structured dialogue between the cultural sector and the European Commission.

The selected participants will meet digitally for a brainstorming meeting on 2 and 3 December 2020 to share input on several topics, as seen below. The topical discussion will be framed by a discussion paper by Voices of Culture’s independent expert Gijs de Vries.

  • Education. What can the EU do to support arts education and citizenship education to promote peaceful, inclusive and sustainable societies?
  • Growth and employment. How can the EU help improve working conditions for artists? How should it support the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development? How should sustainable cultural tourism be promoted?  (See also the findings of the previous Voices of Culture dialogue on developing entrepreneurial and innovation potential).
  • Sustainable communities. While there has been significant EU action to protect and safeguard cultural and natural heritage, particularly in the context of the 2018 European Year and its follow-up, are there other areas of culture policy where the EU could/should do more?  For example, what more could/should the EU do to promote the sustainability of cultural infrastructures in communities, in light of COVID-19? 
  • Climate action. How should the EU support the cultural sector in strengthening resilience and adapting to climate change?
  • Freedom of expression. What more should the EU do to protect artists at risk, and to promote freedom of expression and the right to culture in the European Union and around the world?

The Dialogue meeting for this topic will take on the 11th of February 2021.

See the full list of participants.